I would like to just say hello to every MC sufferers here. This is my first post and I would like to shortly introduce myself.
I am a 33 years old male from Hungary. My symptoms started 2 years ago with a severe infection (I think it was some form of acute colitis). It was one month after this when my problems started:
- Loose, pasty stool (rarely "real" diarrhea) at every morning but only once a day (without much mucus)
- Severe diarrhea attacks (3x-5x in a short period of time) with a lot of mucus after eating something triggering.
- Mild pain before and after eating (The pain is 1 or 2 in a scale of 10), gurgling and lots of flatulence after eating anything.
In the past 2 years I could find out my triggering foods: seeds, spicy food, oily or fatty food cause diarrhea attacks after a few hours of eating,
fruits, some vegetable (tomato for example), dairy worsen my next day morning problems.
At the beginning I visited 2 GI doctors.
Several blood tests - nothing abnormal,
CT, ultrasonography of the abdomen - nothing abnormal
Stool sample - no infection, no worms, no occult blood, calprotectin (an inflammatory marker used in Europe to differentiate IBS from IBD) is within the normal range.
Because the excellent results of every tests, and because my minor symptoms they decided to not do something invasive.
Diagnosis: postinfectial IBS.
After a few bad weeks I realized that I could control the diarrhea attacks if I stop eating my triggering foods. But my morning loose stools never disappeared.
At the past six month I had around 5-6 diarrhea attacks and 2 or 3 was coated with a few drops of fresh blood embedded in the mucus. I was totally scared (you can imagine what was my first thought - colon cancer) I decided to go for a colonoscopy.
I found a third GI doctor. After I told her my problems she agreed in that we should do the colonoscopy + gastroscopy also. I asked her to take biopsys from my colon also if it appears intact. She asked why. I told her that maybe I have microscopic colitis. She told me that it is almost impossible because of my age and additionally I am a male... Anyway she agreed to take biopsys from my colon also.
Gastroscopy: Everything is normal, but fast test was positive for Helycobacter Pylori. Biopsy from duodendum.
Colonoscopy: Everything is clean, biopsy from terminal ileum and from rectum.
The GI doctor told me that my symptoms was caused by H.Pylori. (I was very skeptical...)
Started a 14 days course of antibiotic + PPI to eradicate the bacteria. (Clarithromicin + Amoxicillin + ranitidine 2 times a day for 14 days)
The first interesting happening: As soon as I started the eradication, my morning loose stools stopped. It was the first time in the past 2 years with normal, formed stools day after day. (Occassionally I had former stools, but very-very rarely...) I am at day 13 of the antibiotic course, and still have formed stools at EVERY morning!
The second interesting happening: 3 days ago my doctor got back the result of the biopsys. Clean terminal ileum samples, clean duodendum samples but the pathologist found proof for collagenous colitis in my rectum samples. The collagenous band is thickened (thicker than 12 um everywhere, somewhere thicker than 20 um). No or not so much lymphocytic infiltration in epithelium but it is mildly flattened, in the lamina propria, slightly to moderately increased numbers of lymphocytes, plasma cells. Diagnosis: Collagenous Colitis
My Gi doctor was shocked (I think more than I) because she never seen male patient at the age of mine with this kind of disease.
So thats it for now. We will meet next week to talk about the potential therapy, but she told me in advance that because of my mild symptoms she thinks that I can control my colitis with diet control. I think the same.
Conclusion: - everything can happen even if something statistically (almost) impossible.
Question: - why the hell antibiotics solved my symptoms totally? (Now only the mild pain left with me but only after eating. I think the pain before eating was caused by H.Pylori.)
Do you have any suggestion what to do next?
Ps.: bloody stools were caused by internal hemorrhoids. The stinging diarrhea irritated them...
Hello from a 33 years old male with Collagenous Colitis.
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Hello from a 33 years old male with Collagenous Colitis.
Male. | Age of onset: 31. | Diagnosis of collagenous colitis at the age of 33. (A few days ago.) | Symptoms: mild morning diarrhea or loose stool once a day. Severe watery diarrhea (3-4 times after eating triggering food) once or twice in a month.
Hello,
Welcome to the forum. For some people antibiotics bring remission from symptoms and for some they cause the symptoms to become worse. We are all different, depending on the type of gut bacteria we have and the amount of inflammation damage in our intestines.
My case was somewhat like yours. For a year or two I thought I was having attacks of occasional food poisoning or a virus that kept coming back because the symptoms were only occasional. Then one day the diarrhea started and wouldn't stop, no matter what I did. I also thought that I had colon cancer and my doctor agreed. But they couldn't find any cancer. They couldn't find anything (they never took biopsy samples, because this was over 17 years ago, and I was a male). So my gastroenterologist advised me to go see a good psychiatrist.
GI specialists didn't think that males could get MC/LC/CC so the never looked for it. So naturally they never found it. So then they were sure they were right, that males didn't get MC.
It took me two years to track down all my food sensitivities because I didn't have any help. My arthritis pain in my knees was so bad that I often had to use a cane to get around. But I finally tracked down all the foods that were causing the inflammation and resolved all my symptoms by avoiding all the inflammatory foods.
You asked about what happens next. In my opinion, your symptoms will probably either get better or worse, most likely worse.
Again, welcome aboard and please feel free to ask anything.
Tex
Welcome to the forum. For some people antibiotics bring remission from symptoms and for some they cause the symptoms to become worse. We are all different, depending on the type of gut bacteria we have and the amount of inflammation damage in our intestines.
My case was somewhat like yours. For a year or two I thought I was having attacks of occasional food poisoning or a virus that kept coming back because the symptoms were only occasional. Then one day the diarrhea started and wouldn't stop, no matter what I did. I also thought that I had colon cancer and my doctor agreed. But they couldn't find any cancer. They couldn't find anything (they never took biopsy samples, because this was over 17 years ago, and I was a male). So my gastroenterologist advised me to go see a good psychiatrist.
GI specialists didn't think that males could get MC/LC/CC so the never looked for it. So naturally they never found it. So then they were sure they were right, that males didn't get MC. It took me two years to track down all my food sensitivities because I didn't have any help. My arthritis pain in my knees was so bad that I often had to use a cane to get around. But I finally tracked down all the foods that were causing the inflammation and resolved all my symptoms by avoiding all the inflammatory foods.
You asked about what happens next. In my opinion, your symptoms will probably either get better or worse, most likely worse.
Again, welcome aboard and please feel free to ask anything.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Dear Tex,
Thank you for your reply.
Have you ever took medicines for your illness? Or you could control your symptoms by dietary changes?
Now - after investigating of my diet for two years, I think I can stop the ocassional diarrhea attacks totally by avoiding triggering foods.
If not, my plan is to try out:
- boswelia serrata at first, if it not helps
- bismuth subsalycilate, if it not helps
- well, I don't have third opinion right now. I would like to avoid steroids, even topically acting ones.
One more interesting thing:
My father (age 64) has totally the same problem. The only difference is that his morning diarrhea (1/day) is more severe (always watery) and his attacks are more usual (1-2x weekly). He never really investigated the root of the cause, he just accepted this. (I couldn't). So basically I think he has the same illness but without diagnosis. His symptoms also started in his early 30s, with a food poisoning (at least he thinks it was a food poisoning...)
So for me, it should be genetic.
Thank you for your reply.
Have you ever took medicines for your illness? Or you could control your symptoms by dietary changes?
Now - after investigating of my diet for two years, I think I can stop the ocassional diarrhea attacks totally by avoiding triggering foods.
If not, my plan is to try out:
- boswelia serrata at first, if it not helps
- bismuth subsalycilate, if it not helps
- well, I don't have third opinion right now. I would like to avoid steroids, even topically acting ones.
One more interesting thing:
My father (age 64) has totally the same problem. The only difference is that his morning diarrhea (1/day) is more severe (always watery) and his attacks are more usual (1-2x weekly). He never really investigated the root of the cause, he just accepted this. (I couldn't). So basically I think he has the same illness but without diagnosis. His symptoms also started in his early 30s, with a food poisoning (at least he thinks it was a food poisoning...)
So for me, it should be genetic.
Male. | Age of onset: 31. | Diagnosis of collagenous colitis at the age of 33. (A few days ago.) | Symptoms: mild morning diarrhea or loose stool once a day. Severe watery diarrhea (3-4 times after eating triggering food) once or twice in a month.
I have never taken any medications for MC but I've been in remission for over 13 years by totally voiding inflammatory foods. I've had several small relapses when I was accidentally exposed to gluten and again a few years ago when I became sensitive to soy, otherwise I've remained symptom-free by diet alone.
Boswelia serrata might work,but treatment requires so much of it that it's not practical.
Bismuth subsalicylate works for about 85 % of cases but some patients get tinnitus.
You can do it by diet changes alone if you manage to avoid all your food and drug sensitivities and your stress level is not too high (stress can trigger MC).
My mother had either celiac disease or MC, but was never diagnosed. There are multiple cases in many families, so yes, I believe there is a genetic link.
Tex
Boswelia serrata might work,but treatment requires so much of it that it's not practical.
Bismuth subsalicylate works for about 85 % of cases but some patients get tinnitus.
You can do it by diet changes alone if you manage to avoid all your food and drug sensitivities and your stress level is not too high (stress can trigger MC).
My mother had either celiac disease or MC, but was never diagnosed. There are multiple cases in many families, so yes, I believe there is a genetic link.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Welcome, Gergely!
Congratulations on diagnosing yourself and insisting on biopsies. I highly recommend reading Tex's book (upper right hand corner). Also, doing an elimination diet and keeping a journal for the first 1.5 years was very helpful for me. I wrote down all the foods and the symptoms and it slowly but surely became clear which foods are good for me and which ones are not. Paying attention to what you eat is the best way to manage this disease.
Good luck!!!
Patricia
Congratulations on diagnosing yourself and insisting on biopsies. I highly recommend reading Tex's book (upper right hand corner). Also, doing an elimination diet and keeping a journal for the first 1.5 years was very helpful for me. I wrote down all the foods and the symptoms and it slowly but surely became clear which foods are good for me and which ones are not. Paying attention to what you eat is the best way to manage this disease.
Good luck!!!
Patricia
Be gentle with yourself. Be kind to yourself. You may not be perfect, but you are all you’ve got to work with.
- Bhante Gunaratana
- Bhante Gunaratana
I think this is a self fulfilling profecy. According to research 25 % with CC are under 45 years old, and 26 % are men. I'm man and my CC debuted at 28. It took 20 years, several autoimmune diseases and 6 colonoscopies before they thought of taking biopsies.Conclusion: - everything can happen even if something statistically (almost) impossible.
Tor
Life's hard and then you die
Tor, it can be true (likely it is true). In my country (Hungary) it is very unlikely to take biopsies if the macroscopic view of the colon looks good. Even my GI doctor thought it is useless. If I didn't force it, now I would have a diagnosis of IBS...
Male. | Age of onset: 31. | Diagnosis of collagenous colitis at the age of 33. (A few days ago.) | Symptoms: mild morning diarrhea or loose stool once a day. Severe watery diarrhea (3-4 times after eating triggering food) once or twice in a month.
Hi Gergely,
Welcome, we have a number of males with the disease. Sometimes they post a bit less than the women. Anyways, I second Tex's book.
It is very "readable". Link is upper right hand corner. It is the only book written on MC. Also click around on the foundation web site. Link is in the middle of the page. Register to get on the quarterly email that is send out from the foundation.
Welcome, we have a number of males with the disease. Sometimes they post a bit less than the women. Anyways, I second Tex's book.
It is very "readable". Link is upper right hand corner. It is the only book written on MC. Also click around on the foundation web site. Link is in the middle of the page. Register to get on the quarterly email that is send out from the foundation.
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armstrongpilot
- Adélie Penguin
- Posts: 121
- Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2015 4:31 pm
Thanks for the warm words to everyone! I spent approximately 20 hours with reading the forum at the weekend. Conclusion:
- Today I started a GF diet (already avoiding dairy, raw vegs, fruits, nuts and seeds, so the only food modification will be to eat GF). My diet will be based on rice, chicken and turkey breast, steamed (safe for me) vegetables, my homemade GF breed and boiled eggs. I try to include some good fats, but I don't know what... (maybe you can advise. Beef cause D, so that is not a solution). This is why I didn't exclud eggs. Need the fat from yolks. I am 99% sure that eggs are safe for me.
- Keep continue taking s. boulardii (I just finished antibiotics for H-pylori) and my gf, soy free, dairy free multi vitamin caps with high amounts of B vitamins.
- Started Boswellia 3x500mg daily for 8 weeks. ( If you are curious, I can share the results). Maybe you are not agree with my decision, but I am such person who always need "something" to take for my problems, and I think a herb is much safer than synthetic meds.
- Ordered magnesium oil. (Here I also ask, should I take calcium along with elevated amount of magnesium?)
- Ordered D3 sublingual spray.
- Ordered Tex`s book.
Armstrongpilot, I want to keep Cholestyramin and bismuth subsaliciate for worst case scenario.
- Today I started a GF diet (already avoiding dairy, raw vegs, fruits, nuts and seeds, so the only food modification will be to eat GF). My diet will be based on rice, chicken and turkey breast, steamed (safe for me) vegetables, my homemade GF breed and boiled eggs. I try to include some good fats, but I don't know what... (maybe you can advise. Beef cause D, so that is not a solution). This is why I didn't exclud eggs. Need the fat from yolks. I am 99% sure that eggs are safe for me.
- Keep continue taking s. boulardii (I just finished antibiotics for H-pylori) and my gf, soy free, dairy free multi vitamin caps with high amounts of B vitamins.
- Started Boswellia 3x500mg daily for 8 weeks. ( If you are curious, I can share the results). Maybe you are not agree with my decision, but I am such person who always need "something" to take for my problems, and I think a herb is much safer than synthetic meds.
- Ordered magnesium oil. (Here I also ask, should I take calcium along with elevated amount of magnesium?)
- Ordered D3 sublingual spray.
- Ordered Tex`s book.
Armstrongpilot, I want to keep Cholestyramin and bismuth subsaliciate for worst case scenario.
Male. | Age of onset: 31. | Diagnosis of collagenous colitis at the age of 33. (A few days ago.) | Symptoms: mild morning diarrhea or loose stool once a day. Severe watery diarrhea (3-4 times after eating triggering food) once or twice in a month.
No. The body uses magnesium to regulate the calcium content of the blood. If you take calcium, you need to also take magnesium to make sure that you have enough magnesium to regulate the amount of calcium in the bloodstream so that it doesn't become too high. But you do not need to take calcium just because you are taking magnesium.Gergely wrote:Here I also ask, should I take calcium along with elevated amount of magnesium?
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.